Wednesday, August 26, 2015

School can be a pain in the neck, but don’t let it affect
your back. It is not normal for your
children to have back pain, this should not be occurring. Yet upwards of 3 out of every 4 kids report
back pain. Aside from acute cases (car
accident, sports injury), these are commonly preventable issues. Heather Finnegan, PT, DPT wrote an awesome overview with recommendations on proper backpack posture that can be seen here (http://theracorephysicaltherapy.blogspot.com/2014/08/what-is-correctand-safe-way-to-wear.html). While backpacks are a major concern in
causing neck, shoulder, and back pain.
Here are other things to take into consideration to help prevent this
very preventable issue:

Sitting: More and
more research is coming out, and long story short sitting wrecks us. Try to minimize time spent sitting to less
than 2 hours per day

Texting: This is becoming a major issue! Hunched over a cell phone is no way to text,
sit up straight and bring the phone into your line of vision.

Activity: Being inactive and losing strength in important
muscle groups puts you at a much higher risk to develop pain in the neck,
shoulders, and back. Make frequent
movement and activity a priority!

Often the solution is simple and being more aware of your
posture can address and reverse pain that you are experiencing. Don’t let this linger, this is something that
needs to be addressed before it becomes a chronic condition that is much more
difficult to treat. If you’ve been in
pain for longer than one month and this does not change with postural
corrections, please see us for a complementary injury screen for a more
detailed assessment to avoid this becoming a real issue. Good posture is the new cool.

Friday, August 14, 2015

Sorry in advance to all the teachers and students out there
for bringing this up, but it’s that time of the year to be getting ready for
another exciting school year. Don’t wait
for New Year’s to make a resolution, aim to make this school year the start of
the best you that you can be. While
being off in the summer has its obvious advantages (like not being in school),
the structure of a school day can offer an excellent opportunity to take advantage
of:

Structure-Unlike the summer, the school day offers structure
that can be beneficial to changing a desired habit or reaching a new goal. During the summer, there is plenty of freedom
to get up when you please and the next item on the ‘to do’ list typically
follows the dreaded eventually. The
school days offer a structure that is fairly predictable. Time spent in school, outside activities, and
athletics already have times blocked ahead of time-no surprises. Pick any goal
or habit that you wish to change, whether it is health, emotional, spiritual,
etc. Be sure to focus on only one at a time (a morning walk, daily stretching,
or preparing healthy meals are all good starts!). Block time in your day for this, it needs to
be structured into your day just as any other activity that needs to be
completed. Regardless of your goal, establish
a set time to get this done and stick with it, make it a top priority! Developing a routine right before school or
right when you get home is a great starting point if you’re unsure of when it
could fit into the day. Big goals can be
reached by setting aside 10 minutes each day!

If you have been trying to achieve a health or fitness goal
and these are already habits you participate in regularly, contact us to see how
we can help get you towards your goals!

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Exercising in the Heat of Summer

Whether you love it or hate it, the temperatures are finally
starting to rise and it is finally starting to feel like summer. Some people can’t wait to get outdoors and
exercise and others groan at the thought of expending energy when the
temperatures soar. If you do choose to
head outside to get your heart rate going, here are some tips to help keep you
safe and healthy.

Take your time to
acclimate: Don’t expect to do the
same workout that you have been doing all winter long. You will sweat more and your heart will work
harder in the heat and you don’t want to wind up with heat exhaustion. With
this in mind, warm up for a longer period of time to see how the heat is
affecting you and adjust your workout intensity accordingly. If you feel faint or dizzy, LISTEN TO YOUR
BODY! Stop your workout, get to a cool
place and drink fluids. It’s better to cut short a workout than spend the day
in the emergency room.

Wear appropriate
clothing: Clothing that is light
weight and light in color will help keep you comfortable by reflecting some of
the sun’s rays. Fabrics that wick away
moisture are a great idea as they help sweat evaporate and keep you cool. Wear
a hat to protect your head and UV blocking sunglasses to protect your
eyes. And don’t forget about your skin!
Wear an appropriate numbered water resistant sunblock and re-apply as directed.

Exercise early in the
morning or towards the evening: Get
that workout out of the way before the sun is at its hottest. If that isn’t an option, think about changing
your program to a pool workout or continue to keep your program indoors.

Stay Hydrated!: You need to drink more fluids when it is
hotter outside. Drink two glasses of
water two hours before your workout and consume 8 oz every 15 minutes during
your workout. Workouts that last more
than an hour may require an energy drink to replace electrolytes. Continue to drink after your workout to replace
lost fluids.

If you take the appropriate steps and precautions, summertime
workouts can be a great way to enjoy the weather! If you have any questions about whether it is
appropriate for you to exercise in warmer temperatures, please consult your
physician.

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About TheraCORE

TheraCORE Physical Therapy was established in 2008, by two Doctors of Physical Therapy, with one significant goal in mind: To have experienced therapists deliver personalized care to their patients. This means you will be cared for, at every visit, by a licensed professional who has a working relationship with your physician.